Hindi English Translation || Editorial || Messy battle: On the ongoing tug of war over Delhi’s status

Messy battle: On the ongoing tug of war over Delhi’s status

The tug of war (a dispute over power/supremacy; a rope pulling sport that directly puts two teams against each other in a test of strength) between the L-G and the CM is a barrier (रुकावट, नाकाबंदी, बाधा) to Delhi’s development ambitions

The turf battle between the Lieutenant-Governor (L-G) appointed by the Centre and the elected government of Delhi has a long and noisy history. The recently appointed L-G, Vinai Kumar Saxena, has, through his disruptive enthusiasm (उत्साह, जोश, रुचि) to meddle (intervene, interfere, intrude, tamper, fiddle, nose) in the day-to-day (रोजाना, नियमित, प्रतिदिन) governance (शासन, प्रशासन) in Delhi, set the cat among the pigeons. Unlike his predecessors (पूर्वज, अग्रगामी, पूर्वगामी), Najeeb Jung and Anil Baijal, who too were at loggerheads ((two individuals or two groups of people) in a strong or violent disagreement about something; Engaged in a serious dispute and fail to come to an understanding of any kind) with the elected government of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Mr. Saxena is a politician close to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) top brass (प्रमुख अधिकारी, बहुत महत्वपूर्ण व्यक्ति). AAP has accused (आरोप, दोषारोपण, निन्दा करना) the L-G of undermining (कम करना, कमजोर) “constitutional (संवैधानिक) sanctity (ultimate importance, inviolability; righteousness, devotion)” by having called a meeting of Delhi Jal Board officials on May 30 and issuing directions bypassing (circumvent, avoid, dodge, escape, sidestep) the Council of Ministers (मंत्रिपरिषद) and the Chief Minister. The constitutional design (intention, purpose, planning, idea, objective) of governance in Delhi itself is a consuming (उपभोक्ता, अवशोषित, सम्मोहक) dispute that is being litigated (dispute, challenge, take issue with, take a stand against (in a lawsuit)) in the Supreme Court. The Constitution gives the Centre control over three subjects — land, public order (सार्वजनिक व्यवस्था), and police. However, over the years, the Narendra Modi government has expanded the L-G’s powers, including through an amendment to the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (The Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2021 was introduced in Lok Sabha on March 15, 2021. The Bill amends the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi Act, 1991. The Act provides a framework for the functioning of the Legislative Assembly and the government of the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi. The Bill amends certain powers and responsibilities of the Legislative Assembly and the Lieutenant Governor) Act that the AAP government challenged in court last year. Through these amendments, the Centre reorganised the powers and responsibilities of the Delhi Legislative Assembly and the L-G, in favour of (पक्ष में, समर्थन में) the latter. In the new law, “government” referred to in any law made by the Legislative Assembly will imply (involve, entail) Lieutenant Governor (L-G), curtailing (decrease, lessen, reduce, restrict, limit) the powers of the elected government.

AAP has emerged as a thorn in the side of (a person or thing continually irritating/troubling someone; source of irritation, source of vexation, source of annoyance, source of trouble) the BJP that is the dominant pole of the country’s politics, barely challenged in many regions. The tussle between the Delhi government and the L-G has to be understood from this perspective (outlook, viewpoint, approach). The Centre has been persistent (tenacious, determined, resolute, purposeful, dogged, single-minded, tireless, relentless, unflagging, untiring) in its attempts to rein in (to control, restrain, restrict, limit someone/something) AAP that has been trying to propagate (spread, disseminate, communicate, publicize, preach) its governance model in the Capital as a propellant (a substance (ex: fuel in a rocket engine) that is used for providing thrust/momentum/motive force/impetus) of its national ambitions. While the BJP appears to be willing (ready, prepared, disposed, inclined, of a mind, in the mood; keen, eager) to go to any length (to do whatever/anything possible to complete a task (and achieve a goal)) to clip the wings of (to limit/restrict someone’s freedom; impose limits on, keep within bounds, keep under control; obstruct, impede, thwart) AAP, the latter’s loud protests are less on questions of principle than its own political calculations (assessment, judgement, forecast, projection, prediction, expectation; reckoning, estimation). AAP had cheered (praise, congratulate, applaud, hail, acclaim) the Centre’s unilateral (relating to a method of taking decisions (particularly on international relations) by a state (country) individually without considering other states (countries). In general, it is relating to the decision taken individually without consulting with the others concerned) move that robbed Jammu and Kashmir of its statehood (the condition of being an independent state) and special status in 2019. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s grievances (complaint, criticism, objection, protestation, charge, protest, problem) against the L-G are not unfounded (groundless, baseless, unjustified), but he himself contributes to the stand-off (deadlock, stalemate, impasse, standstill) as his politics compels him to be in constant combat with the BJP. Despite pronouncements by the L-G and the Chief Minister to work in tandem (alongside each other), their relationship has nosedived (fall sharply, drop, sink, plunge, go down, decline, deteriorate) to new lows. Their long-drawn (prolonged, protracted, lengthy, extended, long-lasting/dragging) tug of war is a needless barrier to the capital city’s development ambitions. Until the Court brings clarity on all issues of division of powers between the L-G and the Chief Minister, both would be well advised to work with mutual respect and accommodation (adjustment, compromise, settlement, understanding).

Courtesy: The Hindu

Important Word List With Meaning

1.messy (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - गन्दा, अराजक, अप्रिय
English Meaning - chaotic, complex, intricate, tangled, tortuous, confused, confusing, difficult.

2.ongoing (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - चलता हुआ, जारी, घटित
English Meaning - continuing, happening, occurring, current.

3.barrier (noun)

Hindi Meaning - रुकावट, नाकाबंदी, बाधा
English Meaning - blockade, bar, hurdle, barricade.

4.enthusiasm (noun)

Hindi Meaning - उत्साह, जोश, रुचि
English Meaning - interest, obsession, craze; eagerness, keenness, vehemence, excitement.

5.day-to-day (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - रोजाना, नियमित, प्रतिदिन
English Meaning - regular, routine, habitual, everyday, daily.

6.governance (noun)

Hindi Meaning - शासन, प्रशासन
English Meaning - administration.

7.predecessor (noun)

Hindi Meaning - पूर्वज, अग्रगामी, पूर्वगामी
English Meaning - previous holder of the post; forerunner, precursor, antecedent.

8.top brass (noun)

Hindi Meaning - प्रमुख अधिकारी, बहुत महत्वपूर्ण व्यक्ति
English Meaning - very important person/people.

9.accuse (verb)

Hindi Meaning - आरोप, दोषारोपण, निन्दा करना
English Meaning - allege, claim, state; blame, condemn, criticize, denounce.

10.undermine (verb)

Hindi Meaning - कम करना, कमजोर
English Meaning - weaken, damage, impair, mar, spoil, ruin; reduce, diminish, impede, hinder.

11.constitutional (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - संवैधानिक
English Meaning - relating to something as per the Constitution.

12.the Council of Ministers (noun)

Hindi Meaning - मंत्रिपरिषद
English Meaning - the supreme executive organ in a government. The term is usually equivalent to the word “cabinet”.

13.consuming (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - उपभोक्ता, अवशोषित, सम्मोहक
English Meaning - absorbing, compelling, preoccupying, engrossing, compulsive.

14.public order (noun)

Hindi Meaning - सार्वजनिक व्यवस्था
English Meaning - it means the situation that exists when people obey the laws, rules or authority of the State.

15.in favour of (phrase)

Hindi Meaning - पक्ष में, समर्थन में
English Meaning - in support of; on the side of.

16.tug of war (noun)

English Meaning - a dispute over power/supremacy; a rope pulling sport that directly puts two teams against each other in a test of strength.

17.turf war/battle (noun)

English Meaning - dispute between rival groups over a territory/power.

18.disruptive (adjective)

English Meaning - troublemaking, troublesome, undisciplined, attention-seeking; uncontrollable, out of control, unrestrained, uncooperative, disturbing.

19.meddle (verb)

English Meaning - intervene, interfere, intrude, tamper, fiddle, nose.

20.put/set the cat among the pigeons (phrase)

English Meaning - to say or do something that causes trouble and makes others worried/angry; cause a fight by revealing a controversial fact or secret.

21.at loggerheads (phrase)

English Meaning - (two individuals or two groups of people) in a strong or violent disagreement about something; Engaged in a serious dispute and fail to come to an understanding of any kind.

22.sanctity (noun)

English Meaning - ultimate importance, inviolability; righteousness, devotion.

23.bypass (verb)

English Meaning - circumvent, avoid, dodge, escape, sidestep.

24.design (noun)

English Meaning - intention, purpose, planning, idea, objective.

25.litigate (verb)

English Meaning - dispute, challenge, take issue with, take a stand against (in a lawsuit).

26.The Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (GNCTD) Act (noun)

English Meaning - The Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2021 was introduced in Lok Sabha on March 15, 2021. The Bill amends the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi Act, 1991. The Act provides a framework for the functioning of the Legislative Assembly and the government of the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi. The Bill amends certain powers and responsibilities of the Legislative Assembly and the Lieutenant Governor.

27.State Legislative Assembly or Vidhan Sabha (noun)

English Meaning - the State Legislative Assembly or Vidhan Sabha is the lower house in the states of India that have an unicameral/bicameral state legislature; the State Legislative Council, or Vidhan Parishad is the upper house in those states of India that have a bicameral state legislature.

28.imply (verb)

English Meaning - involve, entail.

29.curtail (verb)

English Meaning - decrease, lessen, reduce, restrict, limit.

30.a thorn in the side of (phrase)

English Meaning - a person or thing continually irritating/troubling someone; source of irritation, source of vexation, source of annoyance, source of trouble.

31.perspective (noun)

English Meaning - outlook, viewpoint, approach.

32.persistent (adjective)

English Meaning - tenacious, determined, resolute, purposeful, dogged, single-minded, tireless, relentless, unflagging, untiring.

33.rein in (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - to control, restrain, restrict, limit someone/something.

34.propagate (verb)

English Meaning - spread, disseminate, communicate, publicize, preach.

35.propellant (noun)

English Meaning - a substance (ex: fuel in a rocket engine) that is used for providing thrust/momentum/motive force/impetus.

36.willing (adjective)

English Meaning - ready, prepared, disposed, inclined, of a mind, in the mood; keen, eager.

37.go to any lengths (phrase)

English Meaning - to do whatever/anything possible to complete a task (and achieve a goal).

38.clip the wings of (phrase)

English Meaning - to limit/restrict someone’s freedom; impose limits on, keep within bounds, keep under control; obstruct, impede, thwart.

39.calculation (noun)

English Meaning - assessment, judgement, forecast, projection, prediction, expectation; reckoning, estimation.

40.cheer (verb)

English Meaning - praise, congratulate, applaud, hail, acclaim.

41.unilateral (adjective)

English Meaning - relating to a method of taking decisions (particularly on international relations) by a state (country) individually without considering other states (countries). In general, it is relating to the decision taken individually without consulting with the others concerned.

42.rob of (verb)

English Meaning - deprive of, strip of, divest of.

43.statehood (noun)

English Meaning - the condition of being an independent state.

44.grievance (noun)

English Meaning - complaint, criticism, objection, protestation, charge, protest, problem.

45.unfounded (adjective)

English Meaning - groundless, baseless, unjustified.

46.stand-off (noun)

English Meaning - deadlock, stalemate, impasse, standstill.

47.in tandem (phrase)

English Meaning - alongside each other.